This book oozes gothic atmosphere – set in the southwest moors of England, Scarlett is a woman who belongs in a century long past. She is a dramatic woman dripping with femininity and sensuality lost in her obsession with the macabre taxidermy creatures designed by her husband. Written in an epistolary style, Scarlett is writing to her husband as her passions turn to obsession, recounting their love, the evolution of his work, the mystery of her past and her descent into madness. Her words are intense and overwrought but beautiful, drawing you into the mundane moments, getting you lost in the fantastical ones, raising the hairs on your spine in the haunting ones and drowning you in the passionate ones.
I did this one on audiobook and the narrator had this beautiful, buttery British accent which helped set the tone of the story for me and had me struggling to turn off the narrative and get back to real life. If you love Frankenstein or Dracula this book will enthrall you with its similar gothic creepiness.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐
Thanks to Netgalley for access to this audiobook. All opinions above are my own.
What do you think – is taxidermy cool or weird?
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